Paint applicator



Sept. 30, 1958 FIG. 1 x

Invntor EDWARD W. LANCASTER.

United States This invention relates to an applicator for paint and the like and is especially useful for applying paint to wall and ceiling surfaces at the marginal edge portions thereof.

Rollers for applying paint to walls and ceilings have been very popular for the past number of years. They comprise a roller having a paint absorbing material thereon, rotatably mounted on a suitable handle by means of which it is possible to roll the roller over a wall or like surface after it has been immersed in paint, whereby to apply a coat of paint to the surface. It is difficult to apply paint to the marginal edge portions of a ceiling or wall surface with a roller because it tends to foul with the trim or other adjacent surface and for this purpose I have devised a planar applicator especially adapted to apply paint to the marginal portions of wall and like surfaces.

Generally speaking an applicator for paint, according to my invention, has a planar back of wood or the like, one side of which carries a paint absorbing fabric and the other side of which is adapted to be gripped by the hand. At least one edge of the back is chamfered to slope inwardly from the second side, the degree of chamfer being designed such that the pile material on the first side will spread, due to pressure in normal use, beyond the edge of the first side to a point substantially underlying the edge of the second side. In use, the back is caused to be drawn over the marginal area of a wall or the like with the said chamfered edge in abutting relation with the ceiling whereby the pile spreads to the edge of the wall where it meets the ceiling to apply paint to the said wall areas. The invention will be clearly understood after reference to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a paint applicator according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a partial view of the applicator about to be applied to a wall surface and Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 but illustrating the applicator in use on a wall.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A generally desigatent O 'ice rates a paint applicator according to my invention. It comprises a planar back 10 having a paint absorbing pile fabric 11 on the first side thereof and having its second side 12 formed with a gripping handle 13. The edges of the back are chamfered as at 14 to slope inwardly on the second side 12. The chamfered edges slope inwardly so that the angles B contained between them and the perpendicular to the second side 12 at the side edge thereof are between ten and twenty degrees. The preferred angle with the pile material that I have found satisfactory has been in the neighbourhood of fifteen degrees.

' The angle of the chamfer is designed such that when the applicator is applied to a wall 16 as illustrated in Figure 3 with the normal paint applying pressure the pile 11 will spread such that the edge thereof is substantially underlying the edge of the side 12 as illustrated in Figure 3.

In use, the pile fabric of the applicator is dipped into a tray of paint or the like which is to be applied to the Wall or like surface whereby the pile 11 absorbs a quantity of paint. The applicator is then run along the marginal edge portions of a wall such as the wall 16 with the edge of the side 12 abutting the ceiling 17 as illustrated in Figure 3. The applicator is drawn so that it follows the line of the ceiling 17 and it will be apparent from Figure 3 that paint will be applied to the marginal portions of the wall right up to the edge thereof that communicates with the ceiling. This is effected by the spreading of the pile 11 as shown in Figure 3, to underlie the edge of the side 12. At the same time there is only a line contact with the ceiling 17 where the chamfered edge of side 12 engages therewith so that the ceiling is not marked in the painting process.

I claim:

An applicator for paint and the like comprising a back having first and second rectangular opposing sur-. faces and peripheral sides therebetween, a paint absorbing material having a pile on the first surface of said back, the second surface of said back being formed with means extending therefrom for gripping in the hand, at least one of said sides being straight and chamfered to slope inwardly from said second surface to form a sharp contacting edge having an angle of from to between said second surface and said chamfered side, whereby the pile material on said first surface will spread due to pressure in normal use beyond the edge of said first surface to a point substantially underlying-said contacting edge, and said contacting edge will engage an adjacent wall with a line contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,086,956 Long July 13, 1937 2,097,461 Johnson Nov. 2, 1937 2,156,270 Smith May 2, 1939 

